June 29, 2015 Op-Ed: Friday June 26 the Vatican signed a treaty with the "State of Palestine" that would regulate the life of the Roman Catholic Church in Palestinian territories.

The Vatican Foreign Minister Paul Gallagher and Riad al-Malki his Palestinian counterpart signed the treaty at a ceremony inside the Vatican. The Vatican said it hoped that the treaty would help create peace with Israel and serve as a model for other countries' relation to the Vatican.

The signing annoyed Israel which had already expressed its disappointment when the Vatican reached agreement with Palestine last month on the treaty. Israel insisted that the treaty would hurt peace prospects and discourage the Palestinians from returning to direct negotiations. I would think the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in areas claimed by Palestine are a much greater deterrent to a return to peace talks.

The attempts by Palestine to obtain recognition at the UN and in other countries is a direct result of failure to achieve any progress in past direct peace talks with Israel.

Israel even suggested that the treaty could effect future relations with the Vatican and said it would study the agreement. In spite of this negative reaction from Israel, Gallagher said he hoped that in some way the treaty might help to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He noted that the conflict caused suffering to both sides. Gallagher also said that the treaty could serve as a model for relations between Christian minorities within other Mideast countries.

Unlike Israel, and its ally the US, the Vatican applauded the UN General Assembly decision in 2012 that recognized a Palestinian state. Al-Malki praised the agreement as historic and as recognizing the right of the Palestinian people, to self-determination, as an independent state free from the shackles of occupation. However, the treaty hardly changes the situation on the ground where Israel is still an occupier and in control.

The US opposes recognition of a Palestinian state except through direct negotiations with Israel. Most western European countries have held off recognition but this may change if there is no progress on peace talks as appears to be the case at present. The treaty exhibits the determination of Pope Francis to have the Vatican become more proactive in foreign policy. Francis was instrumental in helping to broker the historic restoration of diplomatic ties between the US and Cuba.

Archbishop Gallagher called for resumption of direct talks between Palestine authorities and Israel to reach a two-state solution. There are about 100,000 Catholics of both Roman and Greek rites in Israel and the Palestinian territories, most being Palestinian. Already 135 members of the 193 UN members recognize Palestine. 160 members recognize Israel. Last October, Sweden became the first major European country to recognize Palestine.

Ken Hanly

Ken is a retired philosophy professor living in the boondocks of Manitoba, Canada, with his Filipina wife. He enjoys reading the news and writing articles. Politically Ken is on the far left of the political spectrum on many issues.

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